Welcoming new businesses and entrepreneurs to Aurora is essential and, frankly, something that should happen routinely. To that end, there’s a bit of soul emerging in the Aurora downtown business district, and it’s brought to us by an inspiring, innovative, black female whose veteran-owned company, The Cotton Seed Creative, is at 64 S. River Street.
Yvonne Toney is a proud Navy veteran who served during Operation Enduring Freedom, and earned the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. Toney brings her experience as a consumer affairs expert for Hyundai Motor America to launch her business concept in Autumn 2019, just prior to the almost two-year interruption by COVID-19 pandemic.
Describing her vision for the company and ideology, she said, “Since I can remember, I always loved the idea of creating things….” Humans who tap into the creative portions of their brains can bring some of the most prolific and abundant things to the world.
Cotton Seed Creative has a familial and historical background if you’re wondering about the origin of the uniquely-named business endeavor. Toney’s family members, sharecroppers in Mississippi, dating back more than 100 years, exemplify the inspiration.
Toney describes her journey and its connection to her ancestors. “As a child, my grandma had this black and white picture of a lady standing in a cotton field. This image stayed with me forever. A family legacy has always been important to me. Knowing that my ancestors worked so hard and survived, making it possible for me to exist, thus planting the seed. Creativity in all aspects is something that I love the most.”
The eclectic space showcases Toney’s quest to give us a glimpse of the creative world. Cotton Seed Creative offers an environment that showcases a variety of mediums from vintage vinyl, art, coasters, and locally-made unique BBQ sauce to books by well-known community authors.
What’s clear is that Toney’s mission is to create a signature feel that promotes a relaxed environment with good vibes and energy has come to downtown Aurora.
Anthony Stanford, who was named the 2014 Outstanding African American of the Year by the Aurora African American Heritage Advisory Board, is an opinion columnist, urban theorist, and author of the book, “Homophobia in the Black Church: How Faith, Politics and Fear Divide the Black Community.”